Traveling alone is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done. It might sound intimidating or stressful — and it can be — but it’s also immensely rewarding and fun. But knowing how to travel alone takes practice, so I wanted to share my solo travel tips.
Some of my favorite trips have been by myself. Traveling alone is an adventure, but in the best way. I’ve met friends (that I’m still in touch with years later) and even men I’ve dated while exploring the world sans travel buddy. But most of all, experiencing a trip that is 100% everything I want to do is the best part of solo travel.
I’ve been to several cities around the United States and a handful of European countries by myself (details below). And during those trips I learned how to travel alone. Here are my top solo travel tips.
How to Travel Alone :: 6 Solo Travel Tips
Pick the right place.
Not all destinations are created equal, especially when traveling solo. Pick a place you’ll be comfortable alone. That doesn’t mean somewhere familiar or close by, it means somewhere you will be comfortable by yourself. For me, that means a big city. Cities are my sanctuaries (it’s why I moved to a big one) and I feel comfortable surrounded by a lot of people in places with good mass transit so I can get around without a car. If you’re happy place is a remote mountainside, go for it.
While there are specific places better than others for solo travel, I won’t waste space naming them here. Do your research, understand how individuals alone might be viewed (especially if you’re a woman) or if your safety could be compromised. Safety is a huge factor in traveling alone (regardless of your gender, but specifically for women) and always keep that in consideration.
Figure out your travel style and plan accordingly.
I love to research trips so I’m an over-planner. For my 12-day trip to London I had over 6 pages of notes on restaurants alone(!) and had several dinner reservations months in advance. But I do this because I also suck at making decisions, which is tough when traveling alone because I don’t have anyone to share the burden of “where should we eat?” with. So when I find a restaurant (or tour or activity) I like, I book it in advance so the decision is made by the time I’m hangry and not sure where to eat.
If you’re a “fly by the seat of your pants” type of person, then you’ll probably do the opposite and not plan anything. Still, I suggest having some idea of what you’re interested in doing. Or if you prefer group tours, go for it! There are some great tour groups specifically geared toward individuals or pairs looking to travel with larger groups, some even narrowed down by age group.
The point is, know how you travel and what might be a stress point once you’re there. If a plan prevents stress (raises hand), do it. If having an open schedule fits you better, go for that.
Have your own back.
Travel companions share both the fun and the not-so-fun moments of travel. So when shit hits the fan (which it’s bound to do at some point), the “two heads are better than one” philosophy kicks in to problem solve as a team. But when you’re alone, you have no one else to rely on for getting out of sticky situations.
So put on your Paranoia Hat and arm yourself with all the knowledge you might need if something goes wrong on your trip. If you’re an American going abroad, sign up for the U.S. Department of State’s STEP Program so the U.S. Embassies and consulates know where you are if they need to find you. They also send alerts on security threats at your destination.
Put local emergency numbers in your phone with addresses to the nearest embassy. Put your hotel address in your phone contacts and save it to your Google maps. (Even offline, saved locations on google maps will show up.) Plus I always keep a written copy of hotel addresses and emergency numbers in my bag in case something happens to my phone. Send an itinerary (as accurate as you can) to someone at home.
Keep an eye out, especially if you’re a woman.
I won’t lie that traveling solo as a woman puts me on high alert. I never leave my drink unattended, I keep my bags and belongings close by, and I’m constantly watching what’s going on around me. I’m firm in saying no to people that approach me, I’m not easily distracted in crowds, and I’m not afraid to yell at someone for following me. (That’s happened in Montreal and Madrid.)
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. Just make sure your habits include safety precautions and don’t put yourself in sketchy situations. (For starters, never drink more than you can handle!)
But honestly, even when I travel with others I do these things. It never hurts to be alert!
Do whatever you want.
No seriously, do whatever you want, whenever you want. It’s the best part about solo travel: you make all the decisions. Realize that traveling alone is JUST like traveling with other people except you get to make all the decisions and do whatever you want whenever you want however you want. Sounds great, right? Yeah, it is.
Not only do you not have to mesh your travel style with anyone else’s (see above), you get to do whatever you want when you want it. On a much smaller scale, it allows you to follow your wants on a whim. Oh, and you don’t have to compromise on your destination!
Realize no one cares about you. (Meaning: no one cares what you’re doing.)
Think back to the last time you had a really great dinner with friends at a restaurant. You and your buddies were passing around appetizers, cheersing with your drinks, sharing stories, stuff like that. Now think: did you notice if anyone at the surrounding tables was eating alone? No, because you were busy paying attention to the people you were with.
Once I realized that no one notices if you’re somewhere alone because everyone is too worried about what’s happening in their own world, it made traveling alone easy. Unless you’re being ultra creepy/annoying/rude, most people are too busy with their own lives to notice that you’re enjoying dinner alone. (Or unless the other person/people are ultra creepy/annoying/rude.)
Give yourself a break.
Travelers know that spending 24/7 with someone in an unfamiliar place sets the stakes high for conflict and stress. And so does being hungry, thirsty, or tired! But the same goes for traveling alone: it can be stressful. So go easy on yourself, as weird as it sounds. Cut yourself some slack and allow yourself actual breaks if you need them.
When I travel alone, I often feel pressure to do everything possible and have to remind myself to relax. I also remind myself that I deserve to take up space — like at an actual table instead of the bar, if I want — and that I deserve the same amount of respect and time as anyone else. (Rushing through meals is really easy to do when eating alone, so I try to focus on enjoying it at a normal pace!)
Where to Start if You’re Not Sure How to Travel Alone
Traveling somewhere alone, whether it’s the next town over or the other side of the world, can be intimidating. Many people ask me where to start if they want to travel alone but they’re not sure how they’ll feel. My advice is to start small. Go out to dinner by yourself in your own city and see how it feels. Challenge yourself not to be on your phone the whole time and to take in the experience. (To be honest, when I lived in Salt Lake City it felt weirder to go out to dinner alone than it did to travel to Europe!)
Then go somewhere for a short period, like a solo weekend getaway. I’m a fan of big cities no matter who I’m traveling with (or without) but they also make it easier to be alone and get around without a car. But you do you, so go wherever you feel comfortable!
My first solo trip was to New York City for the weekend, a place I’d already been and loved. It was so fun alone, I’ve repeated the trip a handful of times. I followed NYC with Montreal before spending a week over Christmas in Washington, D.C. Then I set my sights on Europe, where I’ve now been on a half dozen solo trips. (If you’re curious: Prague for Christmas and Vienna for New Year’s, through Switzerland and Madrid, London and Edinburgh for Christmas, Scotland, Ireland, and (soon) Italy.)
A Few More Solo Travel Tips
A few other considerations when traveling alone. Some people might disagree or argue with these things, but they are my personal recommendations. • Stay in a hotel, not an AirBnB or hostel, in a nice part of the city. It might cost more, but your safety is worth it. • Trust your gut, and don’t ever be afraid to leave a restaurant you just sat down in or walk out of a bar with your drink unfinished. (After you’ve paid, of course.) • Speak up on tours and be friendly with servers and hotel staff. I like making small talk with people anyway, but I also want to be memorable in case I ever go missing, people might notice or remember who I was. It might sound morbid, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Always.
The hardest part of traveling alone is remembering to eat slowly, not having anyone to watch my stuff when I go to the bathroom, and asking strangers to take pictures of me! (That’s how I got all the ones of me in this post, if you’re wondering.)
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I’d love to hear your favorite advice for traveling alone and your best solo travel tips. Let me hear them in the comments below!
Related :: Lessons Traveling Taught Me About Life, Why I Travel
Solo travel is so liberating. I’ve been doing it for 9 years now and I have no intention of ever stopping! Keep on travelling! xo
Inspiring!
I was on a trip to Scotland with a friend who became ill. I realized that I would be stuck in a hotel room with her in Edinburgh if I didn’t find the courage to go to a restaurant or go sightseeing alone. I did it and ended up meeting people with whom I am still friends to this day! That experience taught me that I could do it and I have since traveled around the world by myself many times, including Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and all over Europe. Your advice about knowing where a woman will be accepted alone is excellent! I was asked everywhere I went in Kenya where my husband or father was because a woman alone was unheard of!
That’s so awesome! How was traveling alone in Russia? I’d really like to go, but for some reason I’m nervous to go there alone. I’d love your advice!
Great post :)